Sha‘ar Hashamayim Synagogue Dome
Maurice Joseph Cattaui
Eduard Matasek
1905
Image
When it was first built, the Sha‘ar Hashamayim (Gate of Heaven) Synagogue in Cairo was the largest building on the boulevard where it still stands. Built to resemble what was imagined to be the design of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, but also modeled on ancient Egyptian temples, it included a large hall for the weddings and celebrations of the elite Jewish families who contributed the funds to build it. Pictured here is the synagogue’s resplendently decorated dome, pierced with multiple windows to bathe the interior in light.
Credits
Courtesy Leo Baeck Institute. Photo: P. Dittrich, 1905.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 7.
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